[ ]   [ ]   [ ]                        [ ]      [ ]   [ ]
The The — Slow Emotion Replay
Album: Dusk
Avg rating:
7.1

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1160









Released: 1993
Length: 3:47
Plays (last 30 days): 3
share tweet wikiwebsitesearchamg
cd
mp3
search
The more I see
The less I know
About all the things I thought were wrong or right
And carved in stone

So, don't ask me about war
Religion, or God
Love, Sex, or Death
Because

Everybody knows what's going wrong with the world
But I don't even know what's going on in myself

You've gotta work out your own salvation.
With no explanation
To this Earth we fall
On hands and knees we crawl

And we look up to the stars
And we reach out and pray
To a deaf, dumb and blind God
Who never explains

Everybody knows what's going wrong with the world
But I don't even know what's going on in myself

Lord, I've been here for so long
I can feel it coming down on me
I'm just a slow emotion replay of somebody
I used to be
Comments (98)add comment
Excited to have read just today that the plan is he is coming the U.S. "soon" following current European tour. I'm all in for that!
Posted 1 month ago by aspicer    [ Reply ]
 Kelvinclifford wrote:

In Yorkshire "the" is silent so this band would be " " 



Will have to take your word for it - that is for sure.
Posted 2 months ago by aspicer    [ Reply ]
 Kelvinclifford wrote:

In Yorkshire "the" is silent so this band would be " " 


So true (N Yorkshire here)
Posted 6 months ago by hellsgardener    [ Reply ]
In Yorkshire "the" is silent so this band would be " " 
Posted 11 months ago by Kelvinclifford    [ Reply ]
6 -> 7.  And that might not be enough.
Posted 1 year ago by DigitalJer    [ Reply ]
 aspicer wrote:


SO true - I recently listened to Mind Bomb straight through (after years of putting it down) - it may as well have been written yesterday. Unfortunately, you could say he's a "realist" not a pessimist.


Realist, cynic, pessimist, futurist, and visionary.
Posted 1 year ago by itsme_bygolly    [ Reply ]
Top track and a ten plus👍
Posted 1 year ago by Easyrider    [ Reply ]
Love this song.  One of my top five from The The no doubt.  And that harmonica!  Thanks RP for spinning this gem.
Posted 1 year ago by Jayesea    [ Reply ]
 Stodoroff wrote:

Matt Johnson has been predicting the ways of the world for over 30 years through his lyrics.  His music is always outstanding. Truly a musical genius and one of the most underrated artists of our time. Listen to "Armageddon Days Are Here (Again)" off the Mind Bomb album. "The world is on its elbows and knees, it's forgotten the message and worships the creed." Written in 1989 and so relevant today. His music is intelligent, beautiful, raw and sometimes even danceable! 



SO true - I recently listened to Mind Bomb straight through (after years of putting it down) - it may as well have been written yesterday. Unfortunately, you could say he's a "realist" not a pessimist.
Posted 2 years ago by aspicer    [ Reply ]
Good stuff.
Posted 3 years ago by drawcard    [ Reply ]
 Stodoroff wrote:
Matt Johnson has been predicting the ways of the world for over 30 years through his lyrics.  His music is always outstanding. Truly a musical genius and one of the most underrated artists of our time. Listen to "Armageddon Days Are Here (Again)" off the Mind Bomb album. "The world is on its elbows and knees, it's forgotten the message and worships the creed." Written in 1989 and so relevant today. His music is intelligent, beautiful, raw and sometimes even danceable! 
 

I was just about to write this same thing.  Mind Bomb's first few songs kind of run together to form a unit, and are chilling in terms of how prescient they were back in the 80s.  

If I may quote from those songs (to enhance Stodoroff's quotes):
Good Morning Beautiful:
"Who is it, whose words have been twisted beyond recognition 
In order to build your planet Earth's religions?
Who is it, who could make your little armies of the left and little armies of the right
Light up your skies tonight?"

Armageddon Days:
"If you think that Jesus Christ is coming, 
Honey, you've got another thing coming.
If he ever finds out who's hijacked his name, 
He'll cut out his heart and turn in his grave.
Islam is rising,
The Christians mobilizing.
The world is on its elbows and knees.
It's forgotten the message and worships the creeds.

But God didn't build himself that throne.
God doesn't live in Israel or Rome.
God doesn't belong to the Yankee dollar.
God doesn't plant the bombs for Hezbollah.
God doesn't even go to church.
And God won't send us down to Allah to burn.
God will remind us what we already know:
That the human race is about to reap what it's sown."

Posted 4 years ago by bc    [ Reply ]
Posted 4 years ago by pvcnote    [ Reply ]
Matt Johnson has been predicting the ways of the world for over 30 years through his lyrics.  His music is always outstanding. Truly a musical genius and one of the most underrated artists of our time. Listen to "Armageddon Days Are Here (Again)" off the Mind Bomb album. "The world is on its elbows and knees, it's forgotten the message and worships the creed." Written in 1989 and so relevant today. His music is intelligent, beautiful, raw and sometimes even danceable! 
Posted 5 years ago by Stodoroff    [ Reply ]
 Kilroy wrote:
Interesting Fact:  This song was written more than twenty years BEFORE President Trump was elected. Lyrics strangely relevant. Sad!

 
True.  Bob Dylan's My Back Pages is still very relevant.  
Posted 6 years ago by westslope    [ Reply ]
 fredriley wrote:
"The more I see the less I know" - yep, I can concur. The older I get, the more confusing and bonkers the world gets. Stuff age bringing wisdom - it brings experience, but wisdom can come to those of any age. Remember that, young 'uns.
 

I sometimes wonder about the average of a Radio Paradise listener. Do “young 'uns” listen or are we all “of a certain age”?


Posted 6 years ago by ScottishWillie    [ Reply ]
Interesting Fact:  This song was written more than twenty years BEFORE President Trump was elected. Lyrics strangely relevant. Sad!
Posted 6 years ago by Ipse_Dixit    [ Reply ]
Sweet pop song.

Nice lyrics, especially for those of us who have a few klicks under our belts.
Posted 6 years ago by westslope    [ Reply ]
Too long for a T-shirt but still a great line:

Everybody knows what's going wrong with the world
But I don't even know what's going on in myself
Posted 6 years ago by justin4kick    [ Reply ]
Ya think Midnight Oil listened to much The The? Or is it just The?

ETA: Oops, Midnight Oil was first in 1990. So strike that. Reverse it.
Posted 7 years ago by Dave_Mack    [ Reply ]
 SantaFeGrace wrote:


{#Yes}   I would LOVE to download some of their music, but when I try a search I get millions of results.....{#Frustrated}   seriously....
 

You should try "the the" instead. Or just use Spotify.
Posted 8 years ago by justin4kick    [ Reply ]
Thought this was a Love & Money song I missed. Nice.
Posted 8 years ago by wgsu_1978    [ Reply ]
 fredriley wrote:
"The more I see the less I know" - yep, I can concur. The older I get, the more confusing and bonkers the world gets. Stuff age bringing wisdom - it brings experience, but wisdom can come to those of any age. Remember that, young 'uns.

 
I was just saying to my self the other day: "Has everyone on the planet gone nuts?"

Even growing up in the days of strife at home over civil rights and the war, and the Vietnam War itself, you'd think we'd be accustomed to "interesting times" but it does seem like people have gone completely mad lately.

 
Posted 9 years ago by nagsheadlocal    [ Reply ]
...and I still don't know jack shit.
Posted 9 years ago by Hoosfoos    [ Reply ]
"The more I see the less I know" - yep, I can concur. The older I get, the more confusing and bonkers the world gets. Stuff age bringing wisdom - it brings experience, but wisdom can come to those of any age. Remember that, young 'uns.
Posted 9 years ago by fredriley    [ Reply ]
It has a good beat and you can dance to it Mister Clark, I'll give it a 60! 
Posted 9 years ago by misterbearbaby    [ Reply ]
Yeah, more "The The" please. And through in some "Nails" once in a while. Yeah, that'd be good.
Posted 10 years ago by ScottD    [ Reply ]
Classic!
Posted 10 years ago by stockvc    [ Reply ]
Very nice!
Posted 10 years ago by helgigermany    [ Reply ]
this is not  possably an attempt at reality....{#Lol}
Posted 10 years ago by oldfart48    [ Reply ]
love love The The
Posted 10 years ago by garrettb    [ Reply ]
Hurrah for The The - I'm sad that Johnny Marr didn't work more with Matt Johnson. This song is one of my favourites, partly because it concerns itself with the human condition and DOUBT in particular. Lovely, subtle guitar playing as well.
Posted 11 years ago by hidey    [ Reply ]
Sure!?
Posted 11 years ago by cohifi    [ Reply ]

Certainly a 10 - anybody doubting my taste?

Except Nottingham, I mean....


Posted 11 years ago by Stingray    [ Reply ]

and another 10! Wooow - Bill is rolling!!!

 

My 5th or 6th 10 in the last 45 minutes!!!

 

It's Saturday-morning in Germany!

Maybe I should stand up earlier in future....?!?!


Posted 11 years ago by Stingray    [ Reply ]

Good idea.  Everybody loves to diss the popular music of the 1980s.  But frankly there was some great material that came out.  I happened to be living in Québec and was very, very busy at the time saving the world so I missed a lot good popular music from the English-speaking world.

Nice to catch up here on RP.

 



Posted 12 years ago by westslope    [ Reply ]
I think it would be cool to have a "Best of the 80s Repeated Name Triple Bill" with Duran Duran and Talk Talk. I'd go to that.
Posted 12 years ago by Dave_Mack    [ Reply ]
certainly one of the best albums of the 90's.  Really took a lot of the drivel, OK experimentation, from the 80's and made it meaningful.  Still one of my favorite albums in my collection, which stretches from the 60's to now.
Posted 13 years ago by tbaloney619    [ Reply ]
 Synth80s wrote:
It's sad to think that much of this album was influenced by the death of Matt Johnson's brother 


Why is this sad?
Do you know the family?

Posted 13 years ago by Stingray    [ Reply ]
 SantaFeGrace wrote:


{#Yes}   I would LOVE to download some of their music, but when I try a search I get millions of results.....{#Frustrated}   seriously....

 

haaaa - right, I know!

The are clever - aren't the?


Posted 13 years ago by Stingray    [ Reply ]
"10"
Posted 13 years ago by Stingray    [ Reply ]
It's sad to think that much of this album was influenced by the death of Matt Johnson's brother, but it's simply an amazing album end to end.
Posted 13 years ago by Synth80s    [ Reply ]
love it  you must play more the the    great stuff
Posted 13 years ago by and27    [ Reply ]
 Baby_M wrote:
Excellent song title.
 
Love The The!

Posted 13 years ago by cohifi    [ Reply ]
Excellent song title.
Posted 13 years ago by Baby_M    [ Reply ]
OMG
Supertramp
New Order
The The

Go on then Firefall - Strange Way , Bobby Womack - Tell Me Why, Kate Rusby - anything

Thanks Again
Posted 14 years ago by MannAudioltd    [ Reply ]
 SantaFeGrace wrote:


{#Yes}   I would LOVE to download some of their music, but when I try a search I get millions of results.....{#Frustrated}   seriously....

 
BUY IT then..... doh{#Headache}
Posted 14 years ago by Neil66    [ Reply ]
 Shesdifferent wrote:
Yes, one of THE most underrated bands...
 

{#Yes}   I would LOVE to download some of their music, but when I try a search I get millions of results.....{#Frustrated}   seriously....

Posted 14 years ago by SantaFeGrace    [ Reply ]
 Shesdifferent wrote:
Yes, one of THE most underrated bands...
 
In the same way that Dubya was "misunderestimated?"

Sorry, not meaning to be snarky.  I just couldn't resist.  {#Angel}

Posted 14 years ago by Govi    [ Reply ]

Mmmm, this vaguely reminds me of "Charlie" by Noir Désir.

Can't say I care much for this song, though, it's musically too repetitive for my taste and the lyrics don't seem all that interesting either. I'll give it a three for the time being.



Posted 15 years ago by Havik    [ Reply ]
The The: Uh-uh.
Posted 15 years ago by holborne    [ Reply ]
Yes, one of THE most underrated bands...
Posted 15 years ago by Shesdifferent    [ Reply ]
I started humming this to myself spontaneously yesterday. Great song!
Posted 15 years ago by robco1    [ Reply ]
willb wrote:
It is refreshing to hear these guys in the RP rotation. I just wish it happened more often.
Posted 15 years ago by lattalo    [ Reply ]
fredriley wrote:
Poppy and radical - a mixture not seen much in the 80s, and for that reason they were pretty special. They laid the ground for bands like the Levellers, Chumbawumba, Scritti Politti, and others that put out their message in danceable form.
Wow, this is what I call 'a perfect description in a few words'!
Posted 16 years ago by prickelpit96    [ Reply ]
Poppy and radical - a mixture not seen much in the 80s, and for that reason they were pretty special. They laid the ground for bands like the Levellers, Chumbawumba, Scritti Politti, and others that put out their message in danceable form.
Posted 16 years ago by fredriley    [ Reply ]
Vivi2 wrote:


I saw them maybe about 4 or 5 years ago touring smaller venues and they were great. During the show there was some girl talking and MJ stopped in the middle of the song and asked her if he was bothering her with his singing. Just a great show.


I've seen him 3 times, twice in small venues and once in a sizeable theater. 3 of the best shows I've ever seen.
Posted 16 years ago by SmackDaddy    [ Reply ]
TonyBear wrote:
Brilliant song, this was the last decent album they released, one of the best bands of the late 80s early 90s in my opinion.
It's my opinion that your opinion is lacking. Everything he has ever released has been brilliant.
Posted 16 years ago by SmackDaddy    [ Reply ]
"t - hee, t - hee" - Lloyd Christmas "The, the" - Harry Dunne
Posted 17 years ago by papaman    [ Reply ]
Very Underrated Band.
Posted 17 years ago by Whirlpool    [ Reply ]
raelic wrote:
What an absolutely first rate song: great tune, great lyrics, great playing. Someone upload Armageddon Days Are Here Again!
repetitive lyrics
Posted 17 years ago by Aud    [ Reply ]
Ah! My favorite album by who, if you catch me on the right day, is my favorite band! Certainly didn't miss The Smiths with Johnny Marr joining The The!
Posted 17 years ago by gregorbill    [ Reply ]
Why not more of this outstanding and one of the MOST underrated bands (with Smith guitar wizzard Jonny Marr)...? They have tons of good material. What about "The Whisperers" for starters? Check out their truely unusual website and hear all songs from A to Z. www.thethe.com ARTEMIS!
Posted 17 years ago by Stingray    [ Reply ]
Noam Chomsky rocks! Keep listening to Noam Chomsky. And yea, I did hear he is in fact a great dancer... Howard Zinn, Helen Caldecott, etc.... all are determined to keep on rockin' in the free world! Become informed. Check out the documentary Orwell Rolls In His Grave! It's a look at how the 1% of the population owns 95% of the wealth... and how the de-regulation of the FCC allows megacompanies to gobble up all of the media sources. 10 years ago 77 companies owned various media sources... now it's 7, maybe 5, can't remember exactly. 1984 is here. Truly one of the best documentaries about what's happening in the world, and how the U.S. is screwing things up. Namely, democracy. Can get it through Netflix. Hell, now they're trying to control the internet! Stand up! Stand up! Stand up for your rights! Beg pardon for the political discussion. Just saw it last night. A must see. Oh, and great tune! Signed, Winston (good friend of Atticus Finch)
Posted 17 years ago by atticus    [ Reply ]
so, would somebody insightful shed some light in the darkness for us over here in the corner who haven't yet identified the RP pet topic?
Posted 17 years ago by donmatthews    [ Reply ]
Gee! They sure must be fans of George Michael...
Posted 17 years ago by renlat    [ Reply ]
What an absolutely first rate song: great tune, great lyrics, great playing. Someone upload Armageddon Days Are Here Again!
Posted 17 years ago by raelic    [ Reply ]
Posted 17 years ago by sutcliff    [ Reply ]
Dinsdale wrote:
It's the only song on this album that you hear on RP because the lyrics mention a topic/point of view apparently held in high regard here at RP. I ain't sayin' what it is (if you cared about it you would have noticed already), but it's really pretty sad.
uuhhmmmm....I hear lots of varied points of view expressed by the music and the posts here on RP. Good song. 7.
Posted 17 years ago by ScottN    [ Reply ]
Melibe wrote:
This is the second time that I've heard this song, yet I haven't heard any other songs off of this album. Why?
It's the only song on this album that you hear on RP because the lyrics mention a topic/point of view apparently held in high regard here at RP. I ain't sayin' what it is (if you cared about it you would have noticed already), but it's really pretty sad.
Posted 17 years ago by Dinsdale    [ Reply ]
fredriley wrote:
...Noam Chomsky for the dance floor :)
Wooooo, now that would be a sight to be seen!! Pop and independent thinking...sounds like a nice combo to me...
Posted 17 years ago by MTL_Robbie    [ Reply ]
Kick it! w00t!
Posted 17 years ago by miahfost    [ Reply ]
Nice to know that the Angry Brigade of UK agitpop is still going - Heartland, from their seminal Infected album, is one of my all time fave tracks, sheer burning radical anger dressed up in toe-tapping poppiness. Noam Chomsky for the dance floor :)
Posted 17 years ago by fredriley    [ Reply ]
Posted 17 years ago by Krispian    [ Reply ]
The The appears to have a repetition problem with more than just their name
Posted 17 years ago by Aud    [ Reply ]
This is one of those where I have liked TT for a while, Love the TUNE, problem with the lyrics... makes a 3 avg.
Posted 17 years ago by trekhead    [ Reply ]
It is refreshing to hear these guys in the RP rotation. I just wish it happened more often.
Posted 18 years ago by willb    [ Reply ]
The The are Awesome Awesome
Posted 18 years ago by chinchita    [ Reply ]
Brilliant song, this was the last decent album they released, one of the best bands of the late 80s early 90s in my opinion.
Posted 18 years ago by TonyBear    [ Reply ]
I'm painting a plywood floor in our living room with Kilz, preparing for a new carpet installation on Friday, grooving out to one of my all-time favorite tunes by The The. Radio Paradise is on the air in our neighborhood --- FM 88.9! You're sounding great on the 64 kbps AACPlus feed, friends. Please keep it up! Warmly, Your fanatic listeners in Chicago
Posted 18 years ago by Zamoeba    [ Reply ]
Love this line: "I'm just a slow emotion replay of somebody I used to be."
Posted 18 years ago by jah_blessed    [ Reply ]
RobGraham wrote:
One of my favorite bands of all time. I did get a chance to see The The in concert in Boston about 1992. Matt Johnson seemed very uncomfortable performing in front of an audience and, sadly, the concert was a bit of a disappointment. As for the studio stuff...brilliant.
I saw them maybe about 4 or 5 years ago touring smaller venues and they were great. During the show there was some girl talking and MJ stopped in the middle of the song and asked her if he was bothering her with his singing. Just a great show.
Posted 18 years ago by Vivi2    [ Reply ]
One of my favorite bands of all time. I did get a chance to see The The in concert in Boston about 1992. Matt Johnson seemed very uncomfortable performing in front of an audience and, sadly, the concert was a bit of a disappointment. As for the studio stuff...brilliant.
Posted 18 years ago by RobGraham    [ Reply ]
Melibe wrote:
This is the second time that I've heard this song, yet I haven't heard any other songs off of this album. Why?
The whole CD is great. Go buy it.
Posted 18 years ago by earthbased    [ Reply ]
I would love to see The The in concert...I give this tune a 10!
Posted 18 years ago by earthbased    [ Reply ]
This is the second time that I've heard this song, yet I haven't heard any other songs off of this album. Why?
Posted 18 years ago by Melibe    [ Reply ]
joemama wrote:
Has to be the happiest (sounding) The The song I've ever heard. Fun Bill.
So happy that it sounds like Spandau Ballet...
Posted 18 years ago by masterhead    [ Reply ]
Posted 18 years ago by Danny_G    [ Reply ]
Dave_Mack wrote:
Oh yes. The Oils musta heard this one. "Blue Sky Mine" sounds a whole lot like it, stylistically. Both good songs though, I hasten to say.
I, too, thought it was "Blue Sky Mine" at first...and look what has followed on the playlist. very clever!
Posted 18 years ago by flandersdog    [ Reply ]
richie25 wrote:
The harmonica at the start sounds a lot like Midnight Oils Blue Sky Mine.
Oh yes. The Oils musta heard this one. "Blue Sky Mine" sounds a whole lot like it, stylistically. Both good songs though, I hasten to say.
Posted 19 years ago by Dave_Mack    [ Reply ]
The harmonica at the start sounds a lot like Midnight Oils Blue Sky Mine.
Posted 19 years ago by richie25    [ Reply ]
Has to be the happiest (sounding) The The song I've ever heard. Fun Bill.
Posted 19 years ago by joemama    [ Reply ]
Perfect. Thanks, Bill.
Posted 19 years ago by resonator    [ Reply ]
LOVE the tune... fell off the fence on the lyrics... No, he DON'T even know what's goin' on...
Posted 19 years ago by trekhead    [ Reply ]
Excellent. Johnny Marr is the man.
Posted 19 years ago by willyworx    [ Reply ]
An outstanding track, I'd say the best one on Dusk. I practically counted the days for six months circa '92-'93 waiting for the CD's release. I wish Marr and MJ had done more together. Johnson is an incredibly gifted songwriter, IMO, very subtle. He has a kung-fu grip on putting feelings of loneliness, despair and self-doubt into words without crossing into self-pity or whimpering. "Giant" from Soul Mining is a classic in that respect.
Posted 19 years ago by Schmackdown    [ Reply ]
I love that RP plays The The! :D
Posted 19 years ago by Angloray    [ Reply ]
One of The The's best songs... Dusk was one album you could sit, kick back and ponder life to...
Posted 19 years ago by thebeav69    [ Reply ]
Posted 19 years ago by R_P    [ Reply ]